Enhancing the contemporaneity and effectiveness of ideological propaganda work in universities is an inevitable requirement for fulfilling the fundamental task of “fostering virtue through education.” Addressing current practical dilemmas such as the rigidification of communication models, low audience reach, and insufficient interactivity, this study focuses on short videos as a core empowering medium and constructs a systematic and operable operational mechanism for university ideological propaganda work. This mechanism specifically includes: a content production mechanism characterized by “precise planning and multi-stakeholder co-creation”; a dissemination and diffusion mechanism centered on “matrix layout and algorithm-driven distribution”; a participation and guidance mechanism following the path of “immersive experience and community interaction”; and an evaluation and optimization mechanism guaranteed by “data feedback and an effectiveness loop.” Through practical application and effect tracking in the authors’ institution, this research further verifies the practical effectiveness of this operational mechanism from four dimensions: communication power, guidance power, influence power, and credibility. The study demonstrates that this mechanism can effectively expand the reach of propaganda, enhance content appeal, deepen students’ value identification, and significantly improve the scientific and professional level of university ideological propaganda work, providing a replicable and scalable practical solution for innovating the paradigm of ideological and political work in universities in the new era.